October 3, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Catastrophic injury claims often take months or years to resolve, creating financial pressure.
- Interim payments are advance sums (voluntary or Court-ordered under CPR Part 25) to cover urgent needs before settlement.
- They can pay for treatment, care, housing, transport, equipment, and living costs.
- These payments are deducted from the final award, not added on top.
- Rehabilitation funding under the Rehabilitation Code 2015 provides structured financial support for therapies, case management, and home adaptations.
- An Immediate Needs Assessment (INA) is carried out by a case manager to outline what support is required.
- Interim payments and rehab funding are available if the claimant has a strong case, good prospects of success, and clear evidence of urgent need.
- Courts can list urgent hearings where delays would cause harm.
- Integrity Law manages the entire process, ensuring funding is secured quickly and effectively.
Compensation claims after a serious injury are rarely straightforward and can take months or even years to resolve. Liability may be disputed, and the long-term effects of the injury often cannot be assessed until recovery has stabilised. During this time, families may face significant financial pressure, especially if the injured person was the main earner. Interim payments and rehabilitation funding provide vital early support, easing the burden while the claim progresses.
In this blog, we will explain what interim payments are, how rehabilitation funding works, when these forms of support can be requested, and the benefits they can bring to individuals and families coping with the aftermath of a catastrophic injury.
What is an interim payment?
An interim payment is a part of compensation paid before a claim reaches final settlement. In serious injury cases, it gives injured people access to funds sooner, rather than waiting for the case to conclude. The payment is later deducted from the final award, making it an advance rather than an additional sum.
These payments ease financial pressure and can be used to cover:
- Medical treatment or private healthcare
- Rehabilitation therapies such as physiotherapy or counselling
- Specialist equipment, mobility aids, or vehicles
- Home adaptations to meet care needs
- Temporary rental accommodation during property works
- Care and support services
- Every day expenses if the injured person cannot work
Interim payments provide a crucial lifeline, helping families manage immediate costs and ensuring access to the right care at the right time.
How to apply for an interim payment (Part 25):
Applying for an interim payment is a structured process. Where insurers do not agree to release funds voluntarily, the claimant’s solicitor can make a formal application under Part 25 of the Civil Procedure Rules. This provides the Court with the power to order a defendant to make an interim payment if it is just and reasonable to do so.
Here is how the process usually works:
At Integrity Law, we take responsibility for managing this process from start to finish, ensuring interim payments are secured efficiently so clients can access vital care, treatment and financial support without unnecessary delay.
Who qualifies for an interim payment?
Interim payments are available where the Court is satisfied that the claimant is likely to receive a substantial sum in compensation at trial. This falls under CPR Part 25. While an admission of liability from the defendant strengthens the application, it is not essential. The judge will consider the prospects of success, any contributory negligence, and whether there is enough evidence to estimate a reasonable proportion of the damages likely to be awarded.
Helpful evidence includes:
- Medical reports and rehabilitation recommendations
- An Immediate Needs Assessment (INA)
- A costed rehabilitation plan with supplier quotes
- Witness evidence on daily care and support needs
- A short schedule of loss with working budgets
Quick eligibility checklist:
- A strong case with good prospects of success
- Likely to recover a substantial sum at trial
- Clear rehabilitation or financial needs supported by clinicians
- Costed plan and supplier quotes available
- Defendant insurer has been identified and is able to pay
- Delay would risk harm or loss of progress
For claims involving a child or a protected party, any interim payment (even if voluntary) must be approved by the Court under Part 21.
What rehabilitation support might be needed after a catastrophic injury?
Recovering from a catastrophic injury rarely ends at hospital discharge. Most individuals require long-term rehabilitation to rebuild independence and quality of life. The nature and extent of support will depend on the severity of the injuries, but rehabilitation is almost always a key part of the recovery journey.
Rehabilitation services can include:
- Physiotherapy: To restore movement, strengthen muscles and improve mobility after spinal, brain or orthopaedic injuries.
- Occupational therapy: To assist with daily living tasks such as dressing, cooking, and using specialist equipment, as well as adapting routines to new physical or cognitive limitations.
- Psychological support: Counselling or therapy to address trauma, anxiety, depression or adjustment difficulties, which often accompany life-changing injuries.
- Speech and language therapy: To help those who struggle with communication, speech or swallowing following head or neurological injuries.
- Pain management programmes: Designed to improve comfort, reduce reliance on medication and support mental wellbeing.
- Specialist nursing or care support: To provide day-to-day assistance at home, ensuring that complex medical and personal needs are met safely.
Accessing these services at an early stage is vital. Prompt rehabilitation can accelerate physical recovery, minimise complications, and improve mental resilience. It also helps injured individuals and their families adapt to their new circumstances, plan for the future, and, where possible, return to work, education or community life.
Without early intervention, opportunities for recovery may be missed, which is why securing funding for rehabilitation is such an important part of any catastrophic injury claim.
What is Rehabilitation Code funding?
Rehabilitation Code funding is a structured way of securing financial support for treatment and rehabilitation while a personal injury claim is ongoing. It is designed to ensure that those with serious or life-changing injuries receive the care they need as early as possible, without waiting for the final outcome of their claim.
Under the Rehabilitation Code, the injured person’s needs are assessed through an Immediate Needs Assessment (INA) carried out by a case manager. This assessment sets out recommendations for rehabilitation, support services and equipment. If agreed, the defendant’s insurer funds these recommendations, allowing rehabilitation to begin straight away.
Key features of Rehabilitation Code funding include:
- Early intervention: Treatment can start before the claim is settled, maximising recovery opportunities.
- Collaboration: It provides a framework for claimant lawyers and insurers to work together for the injured person’s benefit.
- Flexibility: It applies to a wide range of serious personal injury claims, even where liability has not yet been resolved.
- Focus on recovery: The aim is to help the injured person regain as much independence as possible and minimise the long-term impact of the injury.
Although the Rehabilitation Code does not apply to clinical negligence cases, it plays an important role in personal injury claims arising from accidents. Even where fault is disputed, insurers may still agree to fund rehabilitation under the Code, recognising the benefits of early treatment for all parties.
By using this framework, injured individuals can gain timely access to vital therapies and support, while their legal team continues to pursue the full value of their compensation claim.
What are the benefits of interim payments and rehabilitation funding?
Interim payments and rehabilitation funding provide crucial support long before a claim is settled. They give injured people and their families early access to resources that make recovery and day-to-day life more manageable.
Key benefits include:
- Immediate treatment: Funding for physiotherapy, psychological support or pain management.
- Equipment and home adaptations: Wheelchairs, mobility aids or property adjustments.
- Housing support: Covering rental costs while a home is adapted.
- Care services: Putting professional carers or nursing support in place.
- Financial stability: Easing pressure when the injured person cannot work.
- Trialling long-term solutions: Testing therapies, care plans or equipment before final settlement.
These payments do more than bridge a financial gap. They improve quality of life, support independence, and allow families to focus on recovery instead of financial worry.
How can Integrity Law’s specialist solicitors help?
Securing interim payments and rehabilitation funding requires not only a strong understanding of the law but also careful presentation of evidence and proactive case management. This is where Integrity Law’s specialist solicitors make a real difference.
Our team works closely with medical experts, case managers and rehabilitation providers to build a clear picture of your immediate and long-term needs. We prepare the necessary evidence, negotiate firmly with insurers, and, where required, make robust applications to the Court under Part 25. By doing so, we ensure that funding is secured at the earliest possible stage.
We also provide ongoing guidance throughout the claims process, helping you access the right care, therapies and support while your case is progressing. Our focus is always on maximising your recovery, easing financial strain and safeguarding your future.
With Integrity Law on your side, you have an experienced team committed to achieving the best possible outcome for both your rehabilitation and your compensation claim.
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